Who found curleys wife and how did he react?

Answer 1

In Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' (1937) Curley's wife is not given a name. Apparently this was deliberate on Steinbeck's part, in order to focus the reader on her character 'type', her aspirations, attitudes, personal unhappiness and loneliness.

Although newly married to the ranch boss's son, she dresses in a fancy way, and is flirtatious with all the men at the ranch. Before she was married and came to live at the ranch she lived in Salinas. As she told Lennie, "I lived right in Salinas. Come there when I was a kid." She first met her husband, Curley, at the Riverside Dance Palace.

Salinas is a city in California, and also just happens to be Steinbeck's hometown. His house is still there.

Curley's wife dreams of being a star, a movie star. But things aren't working out for her. And all her plans and dreams, discontent and desire for attention end with her last breath, as she dies, prematurely, her neck accidentally broken by Lennie.

"The best laid plans of mice and men (and women) often turn out ugly" ~Robert Burns 1785

Answer 2

Lennie found Curley's wife in the barn and engaged her in conversation. He became scared and accidentally killed her when she asked him to stroke her hair and he gripped it too tightly.